I'll Stand Guard For You
by Omicron the IceQueen
Summary: Trade Story: a day in Lacora long befor the Axian invasion. Fluff attempt too


Queen's not: This is a trade story for my friend, based on a MASSIVE rp we've been doing over the year. XD so I hope she likes it! And Zanzie love in return!

**I'll Stand Guard For You**

The heat of the afternoon sun had driven people to cooler shades, high up to catch the soft breezes, or in most cases; to water. Most found some form of relief from the summer sun, although there were also some who couldn't escape for duty. Human and Gundam alike in both cases, some at least had mana to help cool them by making air movement.

Right now, Zero was wishing he could take the few steps back into some more semi-shade, but that would mean being on the other side of the thin, transparent netting that kept out bugs out of open chamber. It was also off limits for the guards to be in there, or turn around.

The small inner quart yard was sprawled out into two sections, the larger one as a garden and play area. It wasn't nearly as large as the Cresh Gardens that the brother knights had up until the last few the last nine years. The small-ness of this place, in comparison, had always made Zero and Deed huff internally several times. It was made for the young Princess Relejimana (affectionately dubbed Rehli by the Knights and her friends), Lady Blue and their developing court of five other girls.

Once they all grew up, something the two Guardian Gundams knew was a time that would come all too soon; they didn't want to think about what would happen to them once their charges were no longer in their care. At least not yet.

Carved into the stone was an inscription that was old as the Lacora capitol, as this mini- guardian had been used for countless generations by the growing royal youth.

_It's the cradle of life and the center of civilization._

Water and children in other words once it boiled down to it. That was what Lacorains, human or Gundam, learned this early in life. With water one could stay alive, not just drinking but growing crops and children of course were the next generation to take over the land.

Glancing sideways at Deed a few paces to his side, Zero took a deep breath and gave his head a little jerk, sending his visor clicking down as he fallowed his Brother's example. With the visors closed it gave a little relief. A faint white glow of Zero's own personal mana lit his visor's slits, while Deed's gave his own a more red tint. The two Lacorian mechs dozed a little, alternating in turns in taking short five minute cat naps so there would always be one set of eyes open and alert even in this heat.

Splashing picked up along with the playful yells, mock screams as the girls broke into another water fight. Now and then one of the Knights would shift a curtain way and got a splash of cool water over their backs.

Deed sighed as he shook himself, "One more time...?" The dark colored mech smiled under his mask as he was soaked again. Taking his turn at glancing to the side, Deed was just able to see Zero shaking out his mana-wings.

The blue and white mech took a moment to beat his wings and stretched them out, arching his back and generally working out kinks in stiff limbs. A snickering from behind made Zero pause as he identified Blue's voice, "What...?"

There was a pulse of magic and both Zero and Deed were soaked completely from behind and above.

"Thank you little Lady," Deed hummed in pleasure as the water pushed away the uncomfortable heat off their armor, and in turn cooling down their core temperature.

"You're welcome!" the twelve, nearly thirteen year old, called, only to yelp as she was splashed by one of the other girls. "Naaaah-miiii!" the girl cried in protest as she flailed, running around the pool edge to the drier back.

"Don't splash her!"

"She'll zap everyone."

"I will not!"

"Would too."

"Would not."

"Would-"

"Princess, Lady Blue!" Zero called without looking back, his mana-wings twitching in slight warning. He listened to the sheepish silence for a few moments before one of the children started the water war again.

Deed chuckled as he shifted, rolling his shoulders as he took his turn to stretch out. The darker colored knight pause as he and Zero homed onto movement that wasn't normal nor wind made as the struggling breeze had finally died. Deed launched at the intruder as Zero hopped to the side, falling into a defensive position and snapped his wings out to full extension to block as much of the now yelping girls as they dove into the pool for cover.

There was a startled yell from a male voice as the screams took a new pitch in reaction.

"Deed-!"

"By the great dragon," Deed growled as he found himself grappling will Tallgeese. "Mech! You know you can't be here!"

"I came to get you," The taller pale Gundam started, pauses as the words and the dying sounds of the girls belatedly clicked in his head. "Oh scrap." Tallgeese muttered before he was hefted up and with Deed's assistant the silver mech was forcefully ejected from the guardians.

"You know better than to come into this garden," Deed said, the darker blue mech twitched as he closed the vine wrapped gate to the garden. Knowing that Tallgeese as a blade brother knew him. "Lord Nataku is going to-"

"DEED!" Tallgeese stood up to his full height and gave the shorter mech a clout on the side of the help. He paused to be sure the panic brought on from the reflexive motions and heat confusion had bleed away before speaking again. "There, that's better. Stay calm. Lord Rock sent me to get one of you two."

The dark colored knight yelp as this time he was hauled with the other knight. "Fragger, you know we're being upgraded."

"Zeeeeroooo! We need towels-"

_Ka-poof!_

Cheers came with the sound of a magic summoning. It made Deed resisted long enough to stretch his senses back, brushing over his brother's mana and getting a reassuring pulse in return. Only then did he move off with his blade-brother to the higher ranking Knight of Lacora as commanded.

* * *

><p>"Tallgeese?" A young voice asked, fallowed by a poking to the mech's leg.<p>

The mech in question shook himself out of his doze, waking up near instantly in the way he had developed over the years as a guardian knight. Looking down he identified the human who had disturbed him and sat up.

"Lady Blue? What are you doing up at this late hour." Tallgeese would have rose but froze as the girl climbed into his lap. "Wha?" He started, automatically wrapping arms around Blue to keep her steady.

"Deed pushed you out of the garden earlier." Blue said fiddling with the package she had brought with her. "And it's cold tonight, and I know you don't like the cold." The girl opened the woven basket, digging in and coming up with a thermos, smiling.

Tallgeese made a soft sound of amusement as he shifted in his seat; wrapping one arm more steadily around the girl while grasping the armrest with the other so the mech could push himself into a more comfortable position that would accommodate Blue in his lap. "You know Zero will lose his sanity once he sees you missing from your bed Little Lady."

Blue ducked her head at that, blushing but smiling shyly, mumbling something about the use of pillows. Expecting a disapproving mini-lector from the knight, it was a pleasant surprise that lifted her guilt as Blue felt as much as heard Tallgeese laugh. She leaned into the silver's mech's chest (not as large as it used to be like with Zero and Deed when Blue was a child, but still big) and offered Tallgeese the thermos.

"What is it?" The mech asked taking it, looking down in interest as he caught a familiar scent.

"Pear cider," Blue said proudly, "And spiced caked."

"Oooh really...?" Tallgeese perked up as the girl knew he would, they were his favorites after all and a fast way to get in the big mech's good side. So two spent the next half an hour, happily sharing the late night treats until Blue dropped off into sleep at last. Tallgeese sighed softly, not moving as he let the girl rest against him for a few hours before he rose with Blue cradled in his arms to return her back to her room and the stressing Zero.


End file.
